Propagation 51 



loam mixed with well -decayed leaf mould or peat, 

 planting in a three-inch pot, and plunging them 

 again into sand on the warm bench. As soon as 

 the little plants take hold of the soil and show 

 signs of growing, they should be set in a cool, 

 bright part of the house or plunged into the 

 cold frame, where they may grow slowly, until 

 it is time to set them in their permanent beds. 

 Slow growth at this stage is of great importance, 

 for it gives the constitution to the plant for the 

 rest of its life. It must have time to assimilate 

 its food; and the growth in the soil, the formation 

 of the baby tubers, is more important than the 

 growth of the leaves. 



Do not let the roots become crowded in the 

 pots. Shift to larger pots in order to give them 

 plenty of room, enriching the soil at that time 

 with bonemeal. If the roots become crowded 

 and the tubers form in a twisted mass in the pot, 

 they never seem to untangle again in the garden, 

 and the development of the bush is always 

 affected. 



There is an excellent method of rooting green 

 cuttings by filling a three-inch pot with good soil 

 and forcing a thick stick down the centre to make 

 a hole a couple of inches deep. The cutting is 

 held in place in this hole and sand poured in, 

 completely surrounding the cutting, protecting 



